Observing that amount of plastic waste in the country has become “frightening”, the Supreme Court today issued notices to municipal commissioners of Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Agra, Jaipur and Fari

World Water Day

It would be too late to realise for Bangaloreans if necessary action to use water judiciously is not adopted now. Even with alarming low reservoir levels recorded at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini at present, there has not been any significant effort taken by BWSSB to educate consumers. Bangalore needs 3.5 tmc (thousand million cubic) feet of water till May-end and at present the live storage above sill level at KRS is 3.917 tmc and at Kabini, the level had recorded zero.

Decision taken minutes before poll code came into force

Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who is also the Chairman of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), has selected Tata Projects to execute the Rs 2,184-crore power project at Bidadi. The decision was taken minutes before the Election Commission of India on Wednesday announced that the model code of conduct would come into force in the State with immediate effect, ahead of the May 5 Assembly elections.

Bangalore: An initiative by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to address the problem posed by slurry waste from granite units at Jigani along Bannerghatta Road has become a boon for garbage contractors. They have got the chance to dump waste on the sly in abandoned quarries of the area.

At least 20 tonnes of Bangalore’s waste finds its way here. The KSPCB though is not complaining, given that it hasn’t really affected its plans to dump slurry waste in the quarry pits.

The 500-yr-old water body was developed by Kempegowda

From a distance, the historic Dorekere may look like a slice right out of Singapore with its brimming pristine water mirroring the skyscrapers surrounding it, thanks to the lake rejuvenation programme of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). But the lake wasn’t so a month ago. Weeds had choked it, despite several measures taken by the civic body. BBMP engineers, however, fear their efforts to give the water body a new lease of life would turn futile as sewage poses a perenial threat.

The State government has issued an order banning drilling of borewells in 35 taluks of the State, following over-exploitation of the water table in these places.

The Karnataka Groundwater Development: Control and Management Act, 2010, came into effect last month and sinking borewells has been banned in the following taluks:

Signs gas transmission pact with Karnataka Power Corporation

GAIL (India) commenced delivery of gas through its 1,000 km-long Dabhol-Bangalore pipeline on Monday. The first recipient of the gas was Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts, which will utilise the fuel for its captive 6.5 MW power plant. The company has installed a 73 km pipeline in Bangalore, mostly along the Outer Ring Road.

Oil minister M Veerappa Moily on Monday ruled out a rollback in the Rs.1.50-a-litre hike in petrol and 45 paise a litre increase in diesel rates, saying only a small raise has been passed on to consumers.

“I think everybody would appreciate that we have not put a lot of burden on consumers. It is only small doses,” Moily told reporters. “Our country imports 73-75% of oil. We need to pay R7 lakh crore for the imports. Where do we find that kind of money?” he said.

Miners call for legalisation of trade; cite difficulties in agriculture

Revenue Department personnel, headed by Devanahalli Tahsildar Dr N C Venkataraju on Sunday, raided illegal sand mining units for the second time in the past two weeks. The raids began at 6:30 am and lasted until 1 pm. Using earth movers, the team destroyed all units and seized a pumpset used for mining operations. Venkataraju recommended that the deputy commissioner acquire the two acres of land where illegal sand mining is taking place. “Following this, we will lodge complaints with police against those involved in mining,” he told Deccan Herald.

Members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday prevented Gas Authority of India Limited authorities from laying pipeline to take natural gas from Kochi to Bangalore via Dharmapuri, at Yelagiri here.

The pipeline is being laid across seven districts in Tamil Nadu viz. Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. An office-bearer of the association said that based on a case filed by farmers, the Supreme Court had instructed the State Government to convene the Collectors’ meeting and find out an amicable solution.